This invention relates to apparatus for inserting a weatherstrip into a T-slot in an object, such as a door frame, door, window frame or window sash, for example, to be fitted with a weatherstrip.
Weatherstrip of the type comprising a backing and sealing material upstanding from the backing is well known in the art. In a popular form of such weatherstrip the sealing material is a pile strip of resilient fibers. Typical of such a weatherstrip is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,256, issued Mar. 30, 1965, R. C. Horton, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The weatherstrip shown in the Horton patent is sold under the trade mark "Fin-Seal" and is characterized by a barrier strip of impervious, flexible, sheet material fixed to the backing and located within the pile strip. In its more elementary form conventional weatherstrip omits the aforementioned barrier strip. In any event, generally speaking, weatherstrip to be inserted in a T-slot by apparatus embodying this invention comprises a backing and sealing material upstanding from the backing, secured to the backing and extending longitudinally of the backing at a location spaced inwardly from the side edges of the backing so as to define flanges on either side of the sealing material. Preferably the weatherstrip is of the type disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 322,155, filed Nov. 17, 1981, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, in which there is a slit or other similar line of weakness extending part way through the backing from the side thereof opposite to the side from which the sealing material extends.
Such weatherstrip normally is mounted in a T-slot in an object, such as a metal or plastic extrusion or profile, for example. The T-slot comprises a longitudinally extending groove having a longitudinally extending opening of lesser width than the width of the groove, which opening communicates with the groove. When the weatherstrip is inserted into the T-slot, the backing is located in the groove, and the sealing material protrudes through the opening with the aforementioned flanges holding the weatherstrip in the groove.
In the past weatherstrip of the type hereinbefore noted has been pulled into a T-slot by means of an endless belt carrying a clamp which is secured to a free end of the weatherstrip and which pulls the weatherstrip into the T-slot as the belt moves along parallel to the T-slot. Apparatus of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,487, issued Aug. 15, 1957, M. H. Ellenberg et al. One disadvantage of this technique is that the force required to pull the weatherstrip into the T-slot increases as more and more of the weatherstrip is pulled into the T-slot, and the weatherstrip may snap under the high tension. Another disadvantage is that the highly tensioned weatherstrip may "shrink" after it has been fully pulled into the profile and cut. A further disadvantage of this technique is that it requires the weatherstrip to be started into the T-slot manually. In addition, pull-in apparatus of the type hereinbefore described must be somewhat longer than the profile and may not be capable of being used where the T-slot is on an inside face of the profile.
Another technique for inserting weatherstrip into a T-slot involves using a machine which simply rams the weatherstrip into the T-slot through the slot communicating with the groove. A machine to do this is relatively expensive.